The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently announced that it is planning saturation efforts in multiple counties designed to stop and prevent driving while intoxicated.

Specifically, Highway Patrol officers will be conducting sobriety checkpoints at different times throughout August in Jefferson, St. Charles and Lincoln counties. The checkpoints will be administered by MSHP officers in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies. According to the MSHP, these specific counties were chosen for focus efforts due to the particularly high number of DWI arrests in the area. The checkpoints are part of a larger effort by the MSHP to prevent drunk driving, which they claim is responsible for approximately 27 percent of all fatal car accidents in the state.

In the past, sobriety checkpoints have helped MSHP officers make arrests not only for DWI, but for other offenses, as well. For example, at checkpoints conducted in Monroe and Ralls counties in early July, officers issued a total of 49 warnings and made four arrests.

In addition to stepping up their own enforcement efforts, MSHP officers are also encouraging drivers to use their cell phones to report possible instances of drunk driving.

Only time will tell whether the MSHP’s efforts in August will be successful, but the announcement serves as a reminder that law enforcement in Missouri are serious about stopping DWI and preventing accidents. If you have been arrested for DWI, contact an experienced DWI attorney. A DWI attorney can explain your rights and help you understand the possible consequences of a conviction.

Source: KSDK.com, “Missouri State Highway Patrol announces DWI saturations in area counties,” August 1, 2013